Mom, Blogger Pens Tirade Against Target’s Tiny Carts

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – One mother is speaking out about recent changes to Target’s shopping experience.

If you’ve taken a trip to Target recently – and let’s be honest, who hasn’t? – you may have noticed the addition of tiny carts, designed for children to push while they shop. Some might see this as an adorable addition, some might see it as Target training future shoppers.

But one mom blogger has lashed out against the tiny carts, saying they have ruined one of her favorite pastimes.

“This tiny, red thing, with wheels and a really cute flag that makes it look innocent but it’s actually there (admit it) to warn everyone close that whatever is at the bottom of that flag is bringing DANGER AND PAIN AND STRIFE and that they should run in the opposite direction,” wrote Laura Rinas, creator of the blog laughing without limits and a self-described “full-time mama, wife, business owner, woman of God.”

Though Rinas initially declines to name the store, about three paragraphs in she “accidentally” lets slip Target’s name. She also posts photos clearly identifying the Minnesota-based retailer.

Rinas describes her normal Target routine, which includes plopping her child in a full-sized cart and strolling around the store, spending way more than she intended.

“Going to your store is magical,” she wrote. “I don’t just shop at Target. I come to Target to FEEL again.

“So Target is my JAM. I can come, put the Tiny Human in the cart, grab a coffee and do the Target Stroll. What’s the Target Stroll? It’s that thing you do where you go in for milk and come out with three carts full of STUFF.”

Her most recent trip, however, went a little differently. Rinas’ child grabbed one of the new, tiny carts and chaos ensued, she says.

“And I will admit. There was 10 whole seconds where I thought that that MIGHT have been the cutest thing I have ever seen,” she wrote. “But it quickly went downhill.

“Seeing the demise of this Target Adventure, we quickly skirted to the food section. This is where Tiny Human really starts getting into it. Look! I can push the cart and it just GOES! On its own! And when I do it right where the aisle ends, people can’t see it coming! And listen to that fun noise when other carts hit mine! THIS IS AMAZING.”

Rinas laments the loss of the brief respite her Target trips used to provide her.

“Target was suddenly becoming HIS happy place. THIS IS NOT RIGHT,” she wrote.

She has started a group opposing Target’s recent decision, called Moms Against Stupid Tiny Carts, or MASTC. She demands Target takes away the carts so peace can be restored to her shopping trips.

“If you would like to make it right, we here at MASTC will accept an immediate removal of the Stupid Tiny Carts,” Rinas wrote, “and also would not mind being handed a free Pumpkin Spice Latte upon arrival on our next shopping trip.”

This falls under the category of what can I be offended by or complain about when I wake up. Nobody cares what you think… may be bad for you and good for others…. it’s an OPTION, it’s not mandatory. Learn how to parent your kids and it’s a non-issue. Next….

The person filing this report, and you apparently missed her entire point of the blog. First it’s call Laughing Without Limits. The whole post is a satire. The entire blog is about how her parenting style is a beautiful mess. Nothing like a lazy clueless reporter to take a funny blog and play it as being real. And nothing like a lazy clueless public to not go back and look at the source material. Enjoy your hate and rage, because Laura is just having fun in life, with a marriage we’d all want, raising wonderful children, all while laughing and having fun along the way. Lighten up dude, maybe you can chill out by actually reading her hilarious blog.

what a wonderful way to keep our minds off the nignogs killing each other in north Minneapolis and downtown. hat a wonderful way to avoid the DFL plague of Somali terrorists destroying the quality of life in Minnesota.

This could be the stupidest thing I’ve ever read. If your kid isn’t able to behave while pushing a tiny cart, by all means plop him into the child seat in yours. That is a parenting fail, not a Target fail. They should charge you double just to put up with your whining.

It is my sincerest concern that the author of this article might also take Onion publications seriously. WCCO, please help your poor, likely frightened employee find his/her way in these dark times. Thank you.

I seriously can’t tell if this author is ragging on her or not. But it seems to me, that her Blog title says it all. She’s just laughing at her life. Obviously, this author isn’t a mom of little people, and has never had to spend an entire day talking to said littler person about all the stupid stuff they find interesting. We love our kids, but my goodness, let us live like real humans sometimes. Get over yourself haters. Laugh a little. Laura Rinas sounds like a hilarious person I’d want to hang out with!

there’s something wrong with this woman. frankly i haven’t been to a target over a year in response to the who hasn’t been to target recently statement. secondly other stores have been doing this for some time including smaller whole food stores. it sounds more like she wants to avoid parenting and controlling her child by the experience. i let my autistic child use one when shopping if possible and he was quite behaved. it gave him something to do to feel included than just sitting in the cart or having to be led around. we put things we wanted to buy into his cart and our basket and he loved it. he wasn’t just ripping things off the shelves as many parents would fear or banging it into us or other shoppers because we parented. if she doesn’t want to parent preferring a child strapped into her cart that’s on her to say no. but that would make her the bad guy and she clearly has more interest in sucking down her overpriced coffee than being a parent.